


authenticity

by ifreet



Category: White Collar
Genre: Comment Fic, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-03-01
Updated: 2011-03-01
Packaged: 2017-10-16 00:44:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 475
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/166631
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifreet/pseuds/ifreet
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Heavily inspired by a chat with dessert_first.</p><p><i>Their path through the gallery led them back past the painting. El barely paused, one last quick glance. Neal noticed and stopped. "Considering buying that one?"</i></p><p><i>El laughed. "A bit out of our price range, honey. Maybe if there's a print..."</i></p><p><i>Neal looked horrified.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	authenticity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [china_shop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/china_shop/gifts).



"Elizabeth?" Neal's voice, pitched soft and amused and right in her ear, startled her out of her contemplation of the painting. His hand touched her elbow, steadying her. "Do you want to see any of the rest of the exhibit?"

She had no idea how long she'd kept him standing there. She pushed her hair back behind her ear. "Sorry, yes," she replied, a bit sheepishly. She stepped away from the painting, towards the interior gallery.

None of the other pieces caught her quite the way _the_ painting had. By afternoon's end, she was spending more time admiring Neal admiring the works than the art itself. She knew art, and she knew what she liked. Neal caught her looking more than once, and every time, he smiled and returned to studying the art in front of him. Aware of her regard, but unrushed by it. She liked that, as much as she liked his focus when it was turned on herself or Peter.

Their path through the gallery led them back past the painting. El barely paused, one last quick glance. Neal noticed and stopped. "Considering buying that one?"

El laughed. "A bit out of our price range, honey. Maybe if there's a print..."

Neal looked horrified.

"Fine, no print." She tucked her hand into his arm. "Come on, Peter's waiting."

***

Satchmo abandoned her as Peter let himself in. She couldn't blame him; she'd spent the evening working on invoices instead of playing, cooking, or providing scratches -- all of which made her bad company as far as Satch was concerned.

Peter pressed a kiss to the top of her head, stealing a glance at the laptop. "Accounting. Sexy." He slid a craft paper wrapped parcel between her and the table. "Here." Her name was written across it in neat, familiar writing.

She gave him an inquiring look. He shrugged. "Don't ask me. I found it in the car after I dropped him off."

She unwrapped it.

 _The_ painting. It was _the_ painting.

"Nice," Peter commented and headed into the kitchen for a drink.

El stared wide-eyed. He had no idea. She managed to find her phone without really tearing her eyes from the painting, just as beautiful as she'd remembered. She had to look away briefly to dial.

"El," Neal greeted. Did he sound happy or smug?

"You didn't," she said, quickly before Peter could return. "Tell me you didn't."

"I didn't," he agreed readily.

"Neal."

"I could have," he admitted. "But I didn't. Yours is the copy, I promise."

She relaxed back into her seat, mollified. It really was a gorgeous piece. "In that case, it's beautiful. Thank you, Neal."

"It's nothing. You deserve the real thing."

El looked up from the painting to find her husband watching her talk to Neal, his heart in his eyes. "I have it. We'll see you soon."


End file.
